Recommended wattage for my grow cab.

LetricBud

LetricBud

Active Member
So i had a question for yas...

I have a grow cab that is 1.5' deep, 3' wide, and 6' tall. It has a sq footage of 4.5 sq ft, and at 50watts per foot, that comes to about 225watts.

Im getting a Lumatek dimmable 400w ballast in a while, which can do either 250w, or 400w.

Do you think it would be overkill/too much heat if i put it on 400 instead of 250?

The bulbs are only a few dollars apart...

I was just wondering if a 400 in this small of an area would cause heat issues...the box is well ventilated, and the coming winter would draw the temperatures down quite a bit in the room it's in. The box averages 75-80 with just fluros right now...but its still quite warm weather out.

Any input would help, thanks. :peace:
 
LetricBud

LetricBud

Active Member
13 views and not even a comment? Damn...i usually try and answer every post that i have knowledge in.

Perhaps i should start a journal.
 
LetricBud

LetricBud

Active Member
Hehe...T5's...T5's are my choice for vegging.

Im going pro with this one...Ive experienced low-wattage grows before, and they just don't compare to HPS.
 
HomeGrown&Smoked

HomeGrown&Smoked

Active Member
400 won't be too much for the grow space. As long as it is properly ventilated the heat won't be an issue, but the yield will be much higher with the 400 compared to the 250.
 
3lions

3lions

New Member
Arghh, one of those questions that is bound to throw up an idea or two.

The higher the lumens the better the yield, ifffffffff you have no temperature issues. One would normally think that 400w will produce more heat build up than a 250w but in my own experiences setting up small home grows we have found that they basically produce the same heat in practice.

So you go 400w

What you do need to get right is the temps and air flow as already suggested, don't skimp this part if it needs a bigger fan or something

A perfect solution here when financially feasible will be LED of course

You can still produce good crops with T5 but I think you already decided the route....
 
LetricBud

LetricBud

Active Member
Yea...This is the advice i was looking for...If a 250 put out sort of the same amount of heat as a 400.

Thanks man.

Yea i know you can get good crops with a T5 setup...But a decent HO t5 setup costs around the same as a ballast and such... Ive grown before with a mixture of Fluros and low wattage hps...and was dissapointed with the results...So im really going all out this time.
 
S

Smrt

Active Member
HomeGrown&Smoked said:
400 won't be too much for the grow space. As long as it is properly ventilated the heat won't be an issue, but the yield will be much higher with the 400 compared to the 250.
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That bein said, Id go with a 400 minimum, if you can get a switchable 400/600, Id go with that.
 
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caseyg2007

Well-Known Member
yeah 400 atleast. You could squeeze a 600 in there if u have proper venting. I wouldnt do a 250 unless it is a micro cabinet or a 150 for a small dresser grow. When it comes to full size cabs id go atleast 400. Unless u cant vent the light, but if your looking into hps anyways then your gonna need to have really good airflow regardless.
 
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iluv r3dtub3

New Member
i would put the 250 in rofl you got 6 ft of grow room take out the pot the plant grows in and room for light rofl with 400 your plants will grow right out of your box you will run out of room go for the 250 makes more sents
 
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caseyg2007

Well-Known Member
I run a 1.5'x4'x6' cab with a 400 in a cooltube, and never have any issues with height. Canopy control is anyones biggest issue and can be remedied via some training, but Ive never had to train in my cab, and I have a total growing space of around 3.5 feet and can still manage a half pound out of it. Its all in how you grow. If your planning on vegging for a full 2 months then yeah 6 feet may be a little to short, but veg for 6 weeks and you can still pull off quarter pound plants without sacrificing head room. Do a 400, the temp difference and bulb cost should be enough ensentive not to go with a 250.
 
3lions

3lions

New Member
it will be warm for the 600 in that space most likely and is a big jump heatwise over the 400. Its just not 'required'. 400 will grow 5 times better than the lower spec lights you have used previously and you will be really happy with it I'm sure. A switchable to 600w would make sense if you plan on upgrading your available space to say 1.5m x1.5m
 
3lions

3lions

New Member
iluv r3dtub3 said:
i would put the 250 in rofl you got 6 ft of grow room take out the pot the plant grows in and room for light rofl with 400 your plants will grow right out of your box you will run out of room go for the 250 makes more sents
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Altho not strictly accurate, as you will control the height as oppose to the lights but you do need to think ahead re the height restrictions.

if your lights when fully raised and 1.5 foot above your plants this will give your available height ...less the height of your pots.

biggest pot takes 1 foot, lights take up 2 foot. that means you can grow your plants 3 foot tall. So you grow with this in mind.. that means you have to do height management of a sort. either try a scrog type grow or just flower them at 1 foot tall.

Make sense?
 
IAm5toned

IAm5toned

Well-Known Member
a 400 and 250 are very comparable in terms of heat production.

i have a cab the same size... with a 400 and a 250 cmh

ventillation is the key when puttin any hid lamp into an enclosed area.
low ambeint temps help ALOT too... my room stays @ 67, the cab temp holds @ 72, there is 300 cfm ai exchange (2 x 150cfm fans) with passive intakes.
 
IAm5toned

IAm5toned

Well-Known Member
and i flower early to avoid heat/height issues... its the easiest way. training can be done, but it takes time and can still blow up in your face if you veg too long.
i think that cabs are more suited for high volume, low turnaround mini-SOG's then traditional growing with longer veg periods... just my .02

good luck!
bongsmilie
 
wyteberrywidow

wyteberrywidow

Global
Yeah get the 400 make sure its vented right.I had the same problem when i first bought my lights so i went with the 400 and never looked back.
 
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iluv r3dtub3

New Member
if you go with a 400 i would get a strained that grows short and dose not grow to high doing flowering eather get like a short rider or a strained bread to be short and for small areas!!
 
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caseyg2007

Well-Known Member
iluv r3dtub3 said:
if you go with a 400 i would get a strained that grows short and dose not grow to high doing flowering eather get like a short rider or a strained bread to be short and for small areas!!
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He honstely has no issues with height. He has more issues with the circulation. I have personally grown a vanilla kush in my cab with 3.25 gallon bucket. I had a peiece of wood about a foot from the top of the cab to support my cooltube which is also an additional six inches and still grew my plant to 3 feet tall with no issues. As long as the hood for the light is properly vented you can get a plant within inches of the glass of the reflector. Now as far as a SOG with a lot of small plants seems like a better idea, it really isnt unless you want mutilple strains, but if your looking for consistant weight 2 plants vegged for a month in 3 gallon buckets could get you an incredible yield. Most hybrids only double in size and at one month veg they shouldnt be too much more than 12-16 inches tall, thus giving more headroom. DSC00637.jpg
 
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